Wood Protection from Fungal Decay with Amine Copper Quat (ACQ) Preservative Treatment

• Main Author: Wong, How Chu
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) 2011
• Subjects: SB Plant culture
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/28073/1/How%20Chu%20%28fulltext%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/28073/

This study investigates the effectiveness of Amine Copper Quat (ACQ) in preserving and maintaining the structure of wood from fungal decay under high decay hazard condition created in the laboratory. Three species of wood; Engkabang jantong (Shorea macrophylla), Acacia (Acacia mangillm), and rubberwood (Hel'ea brasiliensis) were treated with ACQ at different retentions (0.22% m/m Cu, 0.11 % m/m Cu, 0.55% mlm Cu, 0%) and 5.6 kg/m) CCA (for reference) by vacuum pressure method to detennine the resistance against fungal decay. Two species of fungi used were CoriolliS versicolollr and Pycnoporus sanguineus. Evaluation based on the fungal decomposition rates after 3 months the wood blocks (each 2 x I x 2 cm long) were exposed to the fungi. All treated wood blocks showed significant (P<0.05) resistance against fungus decay by minimal mass loss compared to the untreated wood blocks that showed high weight losses. Pycnoponls sangllinells fungus causes higher wood weight loss compared to Corioilis versicolollr. Highest retentions of ACQ in treated wood, gave lowest wood mass loss caused by decay. In general, ACQ at 0.22% Cu retention can be an alternative to CCA in protecting wood from fungal attack in Malaysia. However, a longer time is needed to detennine the effectiveness of ACQ against fungi decay under field conditions.